Tether ball paddle having launching stations on each face

ABSTRACT

A tether ball toy is provided consisting of a board having a target hole through it, and equipped with a handle. A ball is tethered at a point within the target hole and a single holder is provided on each side of the board for defining a launching site. By tethering the ball to a point within the target hole, and duplicating the launching arrangement, the ball is made playable from either side of the board. The target hole is preferably placed between the launching site and the handle.

United States Patent [191 De Yoe, Jr.

11] 3,737,164 51 June 5, 1973 [54] TETHER BALL PADDLE HAVING LAUNCHING STATIONS ON EACH FACE [76] Inventor: Jay W. De Yoe, Jr., l444 Rogue River Highway, Gold Hill, Oreg; 97525 [22] Filed: Apr. 19,1972

21 Appl. No.: 245,405

52 us. c1 ..273/98 151 Int. Cl. ..A63b 71/04 [58] Field of Search ..273/97 R, 98, 95 A [56] V References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS Dl70,758 11/1953 Katherton ..273/97 R 964,473 7/1910 Grabb ..273/97 R 2,442,296 5/l948 Lang ..273/97 R 2,967,7l1 l/l961 Anderson 2,950,113 8/1960 Barnack ..273/97 R Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney-Clarence M. Crews [57] ABSTRACT A tether ball toy is provided consisting of a board having a target hole through it, and equipped with a handle. A ball is tethered at a point within the target hole and a single holder is provided on each side of the board for defining a launching site. By tethering the ball to a point within the target hole, and duplicating the launching arrangement, the ball is made playable from either side of the board. The target hole is preferably placed between the launching site and the handle.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TETIIER BALL PADDLE HAVING LAUNCI'IING STATIONS ON EACH FACE This invention relates to a tether ball toy in which a board or paddle equipped with a target hole and launching site has a ball tethered to it which is adapted to be launched from the launching site in an attempt to propel it through the target hole.

My invention is characterized by the fact that the arrangement on one side of the board or paddle is duplicated on the other and that the ball is tethered at a point located within the target hole. With this arrangement, when the player succeeds in putting the ball through the target hole, he is not required manually to pass the ball back through the target hole but can simply turn the board over and continue play in the same way from the now upturned side.

My novel toy is further characterized by the fact that the board or paddle, besides having a target hole and a launching site, may have two handles, with the target hole located between one of the handles and the launching site. This affords two distinct methods of play according to which handle is used. If the launching site is located between the target hole and the used handle, the ball must be propelled away from the player. If the other handle is used, the ball must be propelled toward the player.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handled playing board and tethered ball which combine to form a practical and advantageous illustrative form of toy embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation showing in broken lines how a point is scored by putting the tethered ball through the target hole;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a modified, practical and advantageous form of toy; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified form of toy in which two handles are provided.

The toy comprises a board 12 having a body 14 and a handle 18. The board 12 also includes a target hole within which one end ofa tether string 22 is secured. The other end of the tether string 22 is firmly attached to a ball 24.

A launching site is defined by an upstanding launching pin 26 which is located on the upperside of the board. The ball is formed with a hole which loosely fits the launching pin 26. The target hole 20 is located between the handle 18 and the launching pin 26.

The player places the ball 24 on the launching pin 26. Using the handle 18 the player jerks the board upward in a manner calculated to propel the ball towards himself and through the target hole 20. If he fails he replaces the ball on the pin 26 and tries again, calling the number of successes and the number of tries for that turn. If he succeeds he counts a point for himself and again calls his score, naming both his number of tries at that turn and the number of points scored. He then turns the board over, places the ball 24 on a pin 26' which is a duplicate of the pin 26 in location and structure, and proceeds as before. The pins 26 and 26' may,

in fact, be a single pin which passes through the board and protrudes at both sides. The rules can be varied in any way desired.

The game is both interesting and amusing to both children and adults. In the case of children it is not only amusing but educational, being especially attractive because it teaches the child coordination.

The modified toy 10a of FIG. 3 is like the toyof FIGS. 1 and 2 except that the ball has no launching hole in it, the launching pins 26 and 26' are omitted, and in their places launching depressions 28 are provided. The parts which are merely duplicated in FIG.

3, and the ball, are designated by the same'reference characters used in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the postscript a added in each instance.

The modified toy 10b of FIG. 4 is like the toy 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 except that it is equipped with two opposing handles 16 and 18b. When the handle 16 is used with either face of the board up, the ball must be propelled away from the player. By providing opposed handles and only one launching site on each side of the board, two different methods of play are made available on each side of the board. One of these involves propelling the launched ball toward the player and one involves propelling the launched ball away from the player. The parts which are merely duplicated in FIG. 4, and the ball, are designated by the same reference characters used in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the postscript b added in each instance.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiment of my invention. What I desire to cover by letters patent, however, is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A tether ball toy comprising, in combination,

a. a board having a handle, a target hole clear of any obstruction to form an unobstructed path of travel for the ball and a-launching means for immobilizing the ball prior to launch on each face of the board with the hole located between the handle and the launching site in each instance,

b. a launchable ball, and

c. tethering means connected to the ball and to a point of the board located within the target hole, so that play may be carried on impartially with either side of the board up.

2. A tether ball toy as set forth in claim 1 in which the board includes a second handle opposed to the first so that two methods of play are made available with either side of the board up, one in which the ball must be projected from the launching means toward the player in order to be put through the target hole, and the other in which the ball must be projected from the launching site away from the player in order to be put through the target hole.

3. A tether ball boy as set forth in claim 1 in which each launching means is defined by an upstanding pin, and the ball is formed with a hole that loosely fits onto either pin.

4. A tether ball toy as set forth in claim 1 in which each launching means is defined by a substantial depression formed in a face of the board. 

1. A tether ball toy comprising, in combination, a. a board having a handle, a target hole clear of any obstruction to form an unobstructed path of travel for the ball and a launching means for immobilizing the ball prior to launch on each face of the board with the hole located between the handle and the launching site in each instance, b. a launchable ball, and c. tethering means connected to the ball and to a point of the board located within the target hole, so that play may be carried on impartially with either side of the board up.
 2. A tether ball toy as set forth in claim 1 in which the board includes a second handle opposed to the first so that two methods of play are made available with either side of the board up, one in which the ball must be projected from the launching means toward the player in order to be put through the target hole, and the other in which the ball must be projected from the launching site away from the player in order to be put through the target hole.
 3. A tether ball boy as set forth in claim 1 in which each launching means is defined by an upstanding pin, and the ball is formed with a hole that loosely fits onto either pin.
 4. A tether ball toy as set forth in claim 1 in which each launching means is defined by a substantial depression formed in a face of the board. 